Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-02-23

signed to me on this occasion the honors
able and pleasing duty of presenting to
you certain resolutions of the comm and
cry. expressive of their grateful apprecia-
ton of your personal services at time
of sadness and affection. Before per-
forming the act of formal presentation
allow me to briefly recall to mind the
circumstances under which the present
proceedings had their origin.
James Abram Garfield, twentieth pres
ident of the United States. had then just
expired. Fatally injured by the vile and
infamous deed of bastard and an assas-
sin. be had fingered in great pain and
physical suffering for period of eighty
days. The prayers and supplicatiOns of
millions of hearts had assembled to God
in his behalf, that. if consistent with the
Divine Will, his life might be spared and
his health restored. But it was not SO TO
be. Slowly and steadily his life ebbed
away, until he who had received the
highest civic honor in the gift of the ma
ton slept at last with his fathers, and the
nation deploIed his untimely demise.
To US. as Knights Templar, he was
something more than the chief magistrate
of the nation-something more than an
illustrious citizen crowned with civic hon
ors and distinguished for patriotism and
military renown. In addition to all
these he was to us, Sir James Abram
Garfield, christian knight, a devoted
and conspicuous member of the valiant
and magnanimous Order of KnIghts
Templar, as 1t is known and now ex-
lists in this country. In this fraternal
relation he was with us, and of US. His
lips like ours had uttered the knight
hood VOWS which pledged his life to the
performance of all that is chivslrous and
noble in behalf of good women and brave
med. His parental care of his children.
his devotion TO his accomplished wife, his
love to his aged mother, his charity aud
benefcence to the destitute widow. and his
protection OF the innocent maiden, all
these duties he performed like true and
courteous knight The Templar Order
makes obedience and fidelity to these
every day duties conspicuous among its
precepts. We know, indeed, that no
rules or vows of knighthood, however
wise and ennobling, can ever become
paramount TO that censorship which the
sex properly exercises over itself, and
upon which the excellence of female
worth SO largely depends. We realize
also, that to your sex is pre>eminently
given the high and sacred trust-a trust
which is instinctively innate in the gent
Ter sex far more than in man-to illus
trate and exemplify purity of life and
rectitude of conduct. those respendent
and exalted attributes of personal char
scter so well pleasing in the sight of
Almighty God and held in highest esteem
by all right>minded men. So too, in the
realm of abiding affection and of devo>
tional thought, it is woman's hand which
rests most tenderly upon the boyish
head of the future man and as
suages his childish grief; it is wom>
ans hand which best caresses his
whitening locks as he fills up the allotted
measure of his three score years and ten;
and last of ALL as his departing spirit
wings its upward flight, it is most meet,
most endearing, most heartfelt of all, if,
haply, woman's listening ears receive
his dying accents and her sadly sweet and
loving gaze should catch his last linger-
ing look.
But none the less is it the privilege of
the Templar Order. none the less their
high and well known duty, to inculcate
and promote the practice of the christian
virtues and disseminate among their fell
low men the principles and practice of
Justice, Morality ana Truth. Even so
believed, so taught and so practiced our
illustriOus brother. In his death, there
fore, he fell full kuIghtly, psnoplied in
the armor of usefulness and honor. While
the nation mourned its great aud un>
measured loss. the Knights of this Com
mandery, as did thousands of our brothers
elsewhere, assembled themselves together
to say sepulchral rites and funeral obse-
quies to his worth and memory.
On that memorial occasion, and in the
hour OF its solemnities. you came to US
here IN our Asylum bringing your tribute
of fragrant flowers. which fair hands had
fashioned into the form of cross and
immortelle-rare and sweet scented
flowers. the beautiful and appropriate
emblems of the brevity of human life
and with willing hands and fearful eyes
We accepted your offerings to make them
a votive gift to the spirit of our departed
brother, thus testifying our belief in the
Immortality of the soul. our belief that
God is-and that He is the rewarder OF
all who diligently serve Him.
y love thee. ] love thee pass under the rod
Evenso, TO His children, Commanded our God.
These memorial services of which
have spoken, and the story of your timely
aid and most acceptable gifts, are in
scribed upon the pages of our records and
kept in the archives of this commandery.
But heretofore no suitable opportunity
has offered when we could properly COM
municate to you the sentiments of the
commandery for your womanly sympathy,
or make you such adequate return as
your kindness and sympathy demanded
at our hands. The opportune moment
has now arrived, and we avail ourselves
of this occasion, and in this public man
ner, to testify our knightly regard by
rendering you our memorial resolutions
engrossed on satin and enclosed in frames
The resolutions are separate to each Of
you, and read as follows:
ASYLUM
Everts Commandery. No Is, h. T,
Rock Island Ill,
DC ober 10, 1881.
In grateful acEnoWi pdFment for Floral favors